Daniel Prince
Man also faces a weapon charge
A Union man and Lockhart woman face meth trafficking charges. On Saturday, March 12, Investigator Reggie Ellison was patrolling South Street in the City of Union and saw a gold-colored Acura. He followed the vehicle down Perrin Avenue and saw it cross the center line. He ran the tag, which came back to a burgundy Hyundai. He stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Jennifer Martin of Canal Road in Lockhart and the passenger as Kip Fleming of Malone Avenue in Union. Ellison asked Martin for the correct paperwork for the vehicle, which she could not produce, saying she had just bought the vehicle a few hours ago and did not have the paperwork with her. Ellison asked Martin to step out of the vehicle, and Investigator Vinson asked Fleming to step out of the vehicle. When Vinson told Fleming he was going to pat him down for weapons, Fleming said he had a knife and reached for it. The investigators grabbed his arms to keep him from getting to it. He also stated he had a pistol in his pocket, and he started to reach for it, too. The investigators told him to go to his knees and put his hands behind his back. Fleming complied and was cuffed. Investigator Beheler was on site, as well, and he removed a silver-colored Raven Arms 25 automatic pistol from Fleming’s back pocket. Ellison removed a small plastic bowl containing marijuana from Fleming’s jacket pocket. Investigators Vinson and Beheler with the Union County Narcotics Task Force searched the vehicle and found 65 grams of methamphetamine in a black Samsung watch box inside Martin’s pocketbook found between the front seats of the vehicle. She was then placed under arrest. They are both charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute within half a mile of a school or park. Fleming also faces charges of possession of marijuana and unlawful carry of a handgun.